The United States may have reached an understanding with Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi militia to keep American and international shipping safe in the Red Sea, a development that could leave Saudi Arabia to confront the group largely on its own.
The Houthis, formally known as Ansar Allah, launched a surprise offensive last week, seizing control of several islands along the Bab el-Mandeb strait, a key oil export route for Saudi Arabia. Houthi drones and missiles have continued to threaten Saudi cities and energy infrastructure, including one drone that set off civil defence alarms in Mecca. Despite this, Saudi allies have shown little appetite to intervene. Pakistan and Turkey, both signatories of the Mecca Defence Alliance, have ruled out combat operations, while the US and UK have rejected requests to strike Houthi positions.
According to Reuters, US officials met Houthi representatives at the US Embassy in Muscat, Oman, over the weekend, in a meeting organised by longtime regional mediator Oman. Reports in The Times of Israel and Al Jazeera said the Houthi delegation told US officials they had no intention of attacking US vessels and remained committed to a 2025 ceasefire, though they would continue targeting Saudi shipping in the Red Sea. The Houthi delegation included senior officials Mohammad Abdulsalam and Abdelmalik al-Ajiri.
US Vice President JD Vance confirmed on Monday that Washington is in direct talks with the Houthis, telling reporters the US feels “on top of the situation.” A State Department spokesperson said ensuring freedom of navigation in the Red Sea remains a core US interest.
While no formal deal has been officially confirmed, experts see signs of a tacit understanding. Nabeel Khoury, a former US deputy ambassador to Yemen, told The Guardian that the Houthis appear to be assuring Washington that American and international shipping will be spared, while Saudi vessels remain a target.
With the US stretched thin by its ongoing war with Iran, analysts suggest Washington may lack the resources for another sustained campaign against the Houthis, giving it incentive to accept such an arrangement. The development leaves Saudi Arabia, whose airstrikes and allied forces have failed to dislodge the Houthis, increasingly isolated in its fight against the group.
(Source: India Today)
